Justin Rehberg will learn what punishment he will be handed for burning a cross on the lawn of a Poplar Grove couple after the holidays.
Justin, a resident of Avondale, was convicted of inciting racial hatred and criminal harassment last month after a two-metre-tall cross, with a noose attached to it, was ignited on the lawn of Shayne Howe, who is black, and Michelle Lyon, who is white, in February. The couple’s five children, ranging in age from two to 17 at the time, were home when the cross burned.
Justin, 20, arrived at the Windsor courthouse for sentencing shortly before 11 a.m., Dec. 14, surrounded by supporters. Prior to his arrival, the Crown and defence attorneys presented a joint recommendation to the judge, asking that Justin’s sentencing be delayed until after his older brother, 21-year-old Nathan Rehberg, is sentenced on Jan. 10.
Friends of Justin exchanged words with Howe as he stepped outside of the Hants County Courthouse Tuesday morning for a smoke break. Howe alleges they called him a crackhead.
In a scrum in front of the courthouse after the couple learned Justin’s sentencing will be postponed until Jan. 11, Howe told reporters this kind of behaviour is typical of Rehberg supporters.
“The supporters that are behind them are the ones that can't leave us alone and keep going on about it. And that's why it's hard to get past it… we got to deal with kids like that,” Howe said.
Shortly after Judge Claudine MacDonald found Justin guilty of inciting racial hatred Nov. 5, the Crown attorney dealing with the case, Darrell Carmichael, told the media he will be pushing for jail time. Criminal harassment carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, while inciting racial hatred is punishable by up to two years behind bars.
